At Long Last I'm Back!

by Pa Rock
Power Walker


The last time that I put in a full hour on the evil treadmill was in mid-July just before I left the United States.  Since arriving on Okinawa, I have come up with excuse after lame excuse to keep from pounding out sixty minutes on the treadmill.  I have had several ten and fifteen-minute sessions, and the occasional twenty or thirty-minute walk, but nothing longer.  Last Monday I was on the verge of breaking back into the long walks when my treadmill suddenly shut itself down at 35 minutes.   The Gods appeared to be in league with my lazy nature.

Today is my first Friday off on the new work schedule, and I felt that it might be a good time to head over to Gunners Fitness Center and try to get my groove back - and, miracle of miracles, I did it!  Sixty minutes of sweaty marching later I had logged 3.49 miles.  That's way below my record (4.22) and below my average (3.75), but it is a good start!  Now, with 3.49 as the marker to build on, I am ready to start getting serious with taking care of myself - no matter how sweaty the process gets!

One thing that has been holding me back is my tennis shoes.   (I guess they're called "trainers" in this day and age.)  I bought a new pair shortly before leaving the States and got rid of the shabby (and comfortable)  ones that I had worn the past couple of years.  Big mistake.   My feet continually hurt in the new shoes.  Today, after leaving Gunners, I headed off to the Post Exchange at Camp Foster and bought two pairs that are each half a size larger than the ones I have been wearing.  (Two pairs because they were on sale and discounted crazy deep!)  We'll see if new footwear makes the ordeal easier to master.

It's great to be back!